Mondo Cane (album)

Last updated
Mondo Cane
Mike Patton Mondo Cane.jpg
Studio album by
Mike Patton
ReleasedMay 4, 2010
Genre Italian popular music, Baroque pop, easy listening, world Music
Length36:49
Label Ipecac Recordings
(IPC-119) (CD)
Producer Mike Patton, Daniele Luppi
Mike Patton chronology
Crank: High Voltage soundtrack
(2009)		Mondo Cane
(2010)		 The Solitude of Prime Numbers (soundtrack)
(2011)

Mondo Cane is a 2010 album by Mike Patton. Featuring a forty-member orchestra and fifteen-piece backing band, the album contains a series of cover versions of 1950s and 1960s Italian pop music. Patton conceived of the album while living in Bologna, and became attracted to music he heard on the radio featuring pop singers backed by orchestras.

Contents

Released on May 4, 2010, through Patton's record label Ipecac Recordings, Mondo Cane has been met with favorable responses from music critics. Reviewers have drawn comparisons to California , an earlier album by Patton's first group Mr. Bungle. Mondo Cane peaked at number 2 in the United States' Classical Albums chart, briefly charting in Switzerland and Finland as well.

Production

Gestation

Mondo Cane consists of Mike Patton's arrangements and performances of 1950s and 1960s Italian pop songs. [1] Patton had heard these songs while living in Bologna; the singer had adopted the city as a second home [2] after marrying Italian artist Titi Zuccatosta, and had become a fluent speaker of Italian. [3] Patton began exploring Italian popular music; although initially wishing to listen to contemporary music, he found nothing that interested him. [4] However, he became drawn to pop music from the 1950s and 1960s, intrigued by singers using orchestras for backing rather than pop bands. [1] Having considered making an album covering these songs for some time, Patton initially believed he would approach the project with a small band, but was offered the chance to compose music for an orchestra. Patton then opted to use this opportunity to record Mondo Cane instead. [4]

Patton had also been inspired by the music of Italian composer Ennio Morricone. Patton's record label Ipecac Recordings had previously released Crime and Dissonance , a two-disc retrospective of Morricone's work. [2] [5] The singer has described his admiration for Morricone's writing, feeling that the composer turned "what could be banal, surface-style pop into really deep, orchestrated, tense and compelling music". [4] Several of the album's songs had been written by Morricone, including "Deep Down", written for the 1968 Mario Bava film Danger: Diabolik . [6] Patton had been aware of the song for some time, having been a fan of the film and Morricone's score; [4] however, the two musicians never actually met or worked together. [7]

Recording

Mondo Cane was recorded with the backing of a forty-strong orchestra, a fifteen-piece band, and a choir. [2] Recordings were made on a live tour, with the album's tracks assembled as composites from the first three dates of the Italian leg of the tour. Each song contains elements taken from different recordings, with Patton describing the process as "a giant Rubiks Cube [ sic ]", noting that individual bars of one instrument's music might be lifted from one concert and layered with bars of another instrument's parts from another concert. [4]

Stylistically, the album has been described by Allrovi's Jason Lymangrover as ranging "from Frank Sinatra pop to psychedelic garage rock"; [2] while The Boston Globe 's James Reed has noted the "spare" sound of "Scalinatella" and the "furious and rocking" pace of "Urlo Negro". [8] Although wanting to remain faithful to the original versions of the songs covered, Patton wished to avoid simply mimicking the original recordings, stating "this is a record of covers, and I believe firmly that you have to make them your own. There is a very fine line to tread. You have to treat a song with respect, yet twist it up, fuck it up and somehow make it a part of your own voice". [4] When assembling the cut for "Deep Down", Patton was able to get in touch with the original vocalist, a woman named Christy, though mutual friend Daniele Luppi. However, she declined to take part in the project. [7]

One song on the record, "Scalinatella", is sung in Neapolitan, rather than Italian, which required Patton to re-learn the correct inflections and pronunciations in that language. However, the conductor of the orchestra Patton used on tour was a native of Naples and would frequently correct the singer during rehearsal until he was able to perform it correctly. Describing this collaboration, Patton noted "I had a lot of great people around me. I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this shit without them". [7]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Il cielo in una stanza" Gino Paoli 3:55
2."Che notte!" Fred Buscaglione, Leo Chiosso 3:18
3."Ore d'amore" Bert Kaempfert, Carl Sigman, Franco Migliacci, Herbert Rehbein2:52
4."Deep Down" Ennio Morricone, Audrey Nohra Stainton 3:21
5."Quello che conta"Ennio Morricone, Luciano Salce 4:03
6."Urlo Negro" Angelo Galletti Leo Ceroni 2:49
7."Scalinatella" Enzo Bonagura, Giuseppe Cioffi 3:15
8."L'uomo che non sapeva amare" Elmer Bernstein, Mogol, Vito Pallavicini 3:17
9."20 km al giorno" Mogol, Pino Massara 2:55
10."Ti offro da bere" Gianni Meccia 2:27
11."Senza fine" Gino Paoli 4:37
Total length:36:49

Release and reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 74/100 [9]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
The A.V. Club B+ [10]
Drowned in Sound Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
PopMatters Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Slant Magazine Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [12]
Sputnikmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [13]

Although initially intended for release in 2009, [1] Mondo Cane was released on May 4, 2010 through Patton's record label, Ipecac Recordings. The album was released on both compact disc and vinyl record. [14] The album's cover feature a die-cut design based on poster artwork created to advertise one of the early Mondo Cane concerts. [7]

Mondo Cane has been met with generally favorable reviews. Review aggregation website Metacritic lists the album as having an average rating of 74 out of 100, based on seventeen reviews. [9] Writing for Allrovi, Jason Lymangrover rated the album four stars out of five, calling it Patton's "most elaborate endeavor to date". [2] Lymangrover singled out "Deep Down" as a highlight, and felt that the covers were treated with due deference to the original recordings while still featuring Patton's idiosyncratic take on them. [2] Philip Bloomfield of Drowned in Sound awarded Mondo Cane a score of seven out of ten, describing it as "yet more proof that his talent and his breadth are perhaps indeed 'senza fine'". [3] Bloomfield compared the sound of the album to California , a 1999 release by Patton's first band Mr. Bungle; and also felt that although the album's covers were faithful to the original versions, they still showcased a degree of Patton's versatility. [3] Slant Magazine 's Jesse Cataldo rated Mondo Cane three stars out of five, describing Patton as "less a musician than a kind of gonzo multi-specialty clearinghouse". [12] Cataldo felt that album was "actually simpler and less interesting than it sounds", finding it to be well-made but slightly incohesive. [12]

Chris Martins of The A.V. Club awarded the album a B+ rating, feeling that it "offers a new window into the obfuscated Patton oeuvre". [10] Martins also compared the record to California and felt that it would be greatly enjoyed by fans of Patton's various side projects. [10] Writing for The Boston Globe, James Reed described Mondo Cane as "offbeat for sure but not off-putting", adding that "language is no barrier with music this lovely". [8] Sputnikmusic's Tyler Monro rated the album three-and-a-half out of five, feeling that it would be, in theory, a bad idea. [13] However, Monro felt that, on listening to the album, it was "his best work in close to a decade", describing it as "a summer-time staple and a faithful reminder that Mike Patton can sing but sadly little else". [13] Writing for PopMatters, John Garratt rated the album seven out of ten, writing "even if this album is a genre exercise, it’s still a very fine one". [11] Garrat felt that "Deep Down" was the album's best song, adding that it "feels like it was written just for Mike Patton to sing". [11]

Chart performance

In the United States, Mondo Cane reached a peak position of #2 on the Billboard Classical Albums chart, spending forty-two weeks in the chart in total. The album also spent one week in the Independent Albums chart, at #41, and two weeks in the Top Heatseekers album chart, peaking at #7. [15] Mondo Cane spent one week in the Swiss Music Charts, at #81, and one week in The Official Finnish Charts, at #44. [16]

CountryChartPeak
position		Ref
Finland The Official Finnish Charts 44 [16]
Switzerland Swiss Music Charts 81 [16]
United StatesClassical Albums2 [15]
Independent Albums 41 [15]
Top Heatseekers 7 [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ennio Morricone</span> Italian composer and conductor (1928–2020)

Ennio Morricone was an Italian composer, orchestrator, conductor, trumpeter, and pianist who wrote music in a wide range of styles. With more than 400 scores for cinema and television, as well as more than 100 classical works, Morricone is widely considered one of the most prolific and greatest film composers of all time. He received numerous accolades including two Academy Awards, three Grammy Awards, three Golden Globes, six BAFTAs, ten David di Donatello, eleven Nastro d'Argento, two European Film Awards, the Golden Lion Honorary Award, and the Polar Music Prize in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Patton</span> American singer

Michael Allan Patton is an American singer, songwriter, producer, and voice actor, best known as the lead vocalist of the American rock bands Faith No More and Mr. Bungle. Noted for his vocal proficiency, diverse singing techniques, wide range of projects, style-transcending influences, eccentric public image and contempt for the music industry, Patton has earned critical praise and influenced many contemporary singers. In addition to his most popular endeavor, Faith No More, Patton is also co-founder and lead vocalist of Mr. Bungle, and he has fronted and/or played with Tomahawk, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Fantômas, Moonchild Trio, Kaada/Patton, Dead Cross, Lovage, Mondo Cane, the X-ecutioners, and Peeping Tom. Consistent collaborators through his varied career include avant-garde jazz saxophonist John Zorn, hip hop producer Dan the Automator and classical violinist Eyvind Kang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr. Bungle</span> American experimental rock band

Mr. Bungle is an American experimental rock band formed in Eureka, California, in 1985. Having gone through many incarnations throughout its career, the band is best known for its experimental rock period. During this time, it developed a highly eclectic style, cycling through several musical genres, often within the course of a single song, including heavy metal, avant-garde jazz, ska, disco, and funk, further enhanced by lead vocalist Mike Patton's versatile singing style. This period also saw the band utilizing unconventional song structures and samples; playing a wide array of instruments; dressing up in masks, jumpsuits, and other costumes; and performing a diverse selection of cover songs during live performances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fantômas (band)</span> American heavy metal supergroup

Fantômas is an American heavy metal supergroup formed in 1998 in California. It features vocalist Mike Patton, drummer Dave Lombardo (ex-Slayer), guitarist Buzz Osborne (Melvins) and bassist Trevor Dunn. The band is named after Fantômas, a supervillain featured in a series of crime novels popular in France before World War I and in film, most notably in the '60s French movie series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomahawk (band)</span> American rock band

Tomahawk is an American rock supergroup. They formed in 1999 when singer/keyboardist Mike Patton met guitar player Duane Denison and the pair started swapping tapes with the intention of collaborating. Denison then recruited drummer John Stanier (Helmet), while Patton invited bass player Kevin Rutmanis (Melvins/ex-Cows). The group recorded three albums and toured extensively from 2000–2007 then went on extended hiatus, and reformed in 2013 with Trevor Dunn replacing Rutmanis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ipecac Recordings</span> American record label

Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in California. It was founded on April 1, 1999, by Greg Werckman and Mike Patton in Alameda, California.

<i>The Directors Cut</i> 2001 studio album by Fantômas

The Director's Cut is the second studio album by American musical supergroup Fantômas. The album is a collection of cover versions of themes from horror films and television series, performed in a variety of different musical styles. The album was released on July 9, 2001, through Ipecac Recordings, a record label co-owned by vocalist Mike Patton.

<i>Tomahawk</i> (album) 2001 studio album by Tomahawk

Tomahawk is the debut studio album by American experimental rock band Tomahawk. Recorded after a meeting between vocalist Mike Patton and guitarist Duane Denison, the album features members of Faith No More, The Jesus Lizard, Helmet and Melvins. The band toured with Tool in support of the record.

<i>Mit Gas</i> 2003 studio album by Tomahawk

Mit Gas is the second studio album by the musical supergroup Tomahawk. It was released on May 6, 2003, through Ipecac Recordings, the record label owned by vocalist Mike Patton. Mit Gas charted in several countries, reaching the top 20 in Norway's VG-lista and the United States' Billboard Independent Albums charts.

<i>Peeping Tom</i> (Peeping Tom album) 2006 studio album by Peeping Tom

Peeping Tom is the only studio album by American band Peeping Tom. It was released by Ipecac Recordings on May 30, 2006. It peaked at number 103 on the Billboard 200 chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peeping Tom (band)</span> American rock band

Peeping Tom were an American rock band led by Mike Patton. To date, they have released one eponymous album and three singles on Ipecac Recordings. The band has featured a wide variety of well-known artists such as Amon Tobin, Massive Attack, Dub Trio, Odd Nosdam, Norah Jones, Bebel Gilberto, Dan the Automator, and Kool Keith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Circus Devils</span> American rock band

Circus Devils is an American psychedelic rock band founded in 2001 by Robert Pollard, best known as the lead singer and songwriter of the Dayton, Ohio, band Guided by Voices. The band consists of Pollard, Todd Tobias, and Tim Tobias (music).

<i>Anonymous</i> (Tomahawk album) 2007 studio album by Tomahawk

Anonymous is the third studio album by the musical supergroup Tomahawk. It was released on June 19, 2007, through Ipecac Recordings, the record label owned by the band's vocalist Mike Patton. Anonymous charted in Australia, Norway and the United States.

<i>Sgt. Disco</i> 2007 album by Circus Devils

Sgt. Disco is the fifth studio album by the Ohio psychedelic/experimental rock band Circus Devils. The album was released first as a double-vinyl LP. The CD version of the album was released by Mike Patton's Ipecac Recordings label on August 28, 2007. Sgt. Disco features Robert Pollard on vocals and Todd Tobias on all instruments and atmospheres.

The Tango Saloon is an Australian experimental tango band from Sydney, Australia. Their self-titled debut, a "tango-flavored album with a twist of spaghetti western", was released in 2006 by Ipecac Recordings, the American record label run by Mike Patton and Greg Werckman. It was described by Greg Prato of AllMusic as "a musical breath of fresh air in the often foul-smelling state of modern popular music". Three albums have followed, Transylvania (2008), Shadows & Fog (2012) and Suspicion (2015) featuring vocalist Elana Stone. In June 2007, the band was seen supporting Ipecac label-mates Peeping Tom on the East-coast leg of their Australian tour. Other notable performances include support for Mondo Cane at Sydney Festival 2012, and for Marc Ribot in 2015.

<i>Crime and Dissonance</i> 2005 compilation album by Ennio Morricone

Crime and Dissonance is a 2005 compilation album of Italian composer Ennio Morricone's film score work. Intended as a follow-up to two earlier Morricone compilations assembled by Dagored, the album was put together by Alan Bishop and released by Ipecac Recordings. Crime and Dissonance features work ranging from the later 1960s to the early 1980s, and contains scores taken from films of several different genres.

<i>Laborintus II</i> (album) 2012 live album by Mike Patton, Ictus Ensemble and Nederlands Kamerkoor

Laborintus II is an album by the Belgian orchestra Ictus Ensemble, the vocal group Nederlands Kamerkoor, and the American vocalist Mike Patton, which was recorded live at the 2010 Holland Festival. It was released on July 10, 2012, by Ipecac Recordings, and debuted at number 23 on the American Billboard Classical Albums Chart. It was not well received by critics.

<i>Oddfellows</i> (album) 2013 studio album by Tomahawk

Oddfellows is the fourth studio album by musical supergroup Tomahawk. The album is the first to feature new bass player Trevor Dunn, who has replaced previous member Kevin Rutmanis. Oddfellows was recorded live in the Easy Eye Sound Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, after a brief period of rehearsal. Guitarist Duane Denison favored the location as its cheaper studio costs allowed for longer periods of song-writing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Il cielo in una stanza (song)</span> 1960 single by Mina

"Il cielo in una stanza" is a song written by Gino Paoli and originally recorded by Italian singer Mina for the album of the same name. The song was released as a single in June 1960 by Italdisc. It became a commercial success in Italy, topping the charts for eleven consecutive weeks and later returning to number one for three additional weeks. It is also Mina's best-selling single in Italy, with estimated sales of 400.000 copies.

<i>Tonic Immobility</i> Album by Tomahawk

Tonic Immobility is the fifth studio album by musical supergroup Tomahawk. Released after an eight-year gap following their previous record, Tonic Immobility was preceded by the singles "Business Casual" and "Dog Eat Dog". Described by guitar player Duane Denison as "an escape from the realities of the world", Tonic Immobility has been well received critically, particularly for its diverse-sounding songs, and has charted in several countries including Australia, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Mastrapa, Gus (July 17, 2008). "Mike Patton | Music | Interview". The A.V. Club . Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Lymangrover, Jason. "Mondo Cane – Mike Patton : Songs, Reviews, Credits, and Awards". Allmusic . Allrovi . Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Bloomfield, Philip (June 3, 2010). "Mike Patton – Mondo Cane / Releases". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on June 24, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Florino, Rick (March 29, 2010). "Interview: Faith No More's Mike Patton on Mondo Cane". Artistdirect. Archived from the original on April 4, 2010. Retrieved July 30, 2012.
  5. ↑ Jurek, Thom. "Crime and Dissonance – Ennio Morricone : Songs, Reviews, Credits, and Awards". Allmusic . Allrovi . Retrieved July 30, 2012.
  6. ↑ Lucas, Tim (May 6, 2010). "Q&A: Faith No More's Mike Patton Talks New Music". Spin . Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  7. 1 2 3 4 McMillen, Andrew (May 28, 2010). "TheVine – Mike Patton – interview – life & pop culture, untangled". The Vine. Archived from the original on May 8, 2012. Retrieved July 30, 2012.
  8. 1 2 Reed, James (December 27, 2010). "The best albums you probably didn't hear this year". The Boston Globe . Archived from the original on March 27, 2016. Retrieved July 28, 2012.(subscription required)
  9. 1 2 "Mondo Cane Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More". Metacritic . Retrieved July 29, 2012.
  10. 1 2 3 Martins, Chris (May 4, 2010). "Mike Patton: Mondo Cane | Music | MusicalWork Review". The A.V. Club . Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  11. 1 2 3 Garratt, John (May 5, 2010). "Mike Patton: Mondo Cane". PopMatters . Retrieved July 29, 2012.
  12. 1 2 3 Cataldo, Jesse (April 30, 2010). "Mike Patton: Mondo Cane | Music Review". Slant Magazine . Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  13. 1 2 3 Monro, Tyler (May 3, 2010). "Mike Patton – Mondo Cane (staff review)". Sputnikmusic . Retrieved July 29, 2012.
  14. ↑ "Mondo Cane – Mike Patton : Releases". Allmusic . Allrovi . Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "Mondo Cane – Mike Patton". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  16. 1 2 3 "Mike Patton – Mondo Cane – hitparade.ch". Swiss Music Charts, Hung Medien. Retrieved July 28, 2012.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.